Spring is in the air and in the produce aisle! Ripe strawberries, juicy peaches, crisp green onions and more are just waiting to be savored.
To whip up a yummy brunch featuring the season’s freshest foods, use these four recipes— perfect for a Mother’s or Father’s Day celebration.
Cucumber and Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad
You Will Need:
2 large cucumbers, spiralized using Blade A
4 cups strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/2 cup poppy seed dressing
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, toss cucumbers and strawberries together.
2. Divide among four plates, sprinkle with feta and pour 2 tablespoons dressing over each salad and serve immediately!
Birdsnest Bites
You Will Need:
1 24-ounce bag of shredded hash browns
2 tablespoon oil or butter
shredded cheese
chives or green onions, sliced
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
eggs
salt and pepper for seasoning
Directions:
1. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray, and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Take your bag of hash browns and mix in the oil/butter and 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Press hashbrown mixture into each muffin tin, about 1/3 to halfway filling.
4. Bake hash browns at 425 degrees for 16 minutes or until browned.
5. Remove muffin pans and lower oven temp to 350 degrees.
6. Crack an egg into each of the cups if you prefer a runny center. If you prefer scrambled eggs, scramble eggs (equal to how many muffin cups you have to fill) and divide equally between each muffin cup.
7. Top with bacon, chives, and a sprinkle of extra cheese
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes (or until the eggs are as firm as you like them).
9. Slide a knife along the edges to remove from pan when cooled.
Lemon Blueberry Overnight Baked French Toast
You Will Need:
1 loaf soft French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 1 lb loaf, which will yield 9 to 10 cups)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 teaspoons lemon zest, divided
12 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh blueberries
8 eggs
1 3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the lemon syrup:
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Generously butter (or coat with cooking spray) a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the dish.
2. In a large bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth. Spoon small dollops of cream cheese mixture all over the bread cubes in the baking dish, gently spreading cream cheese with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle blueberries in a single layer over the cream cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and salt until well blended. Evenly pour custard over bread cubes, gently pressing down on any cubes that are sticking up so that all bread gets soaked with egg mixture.
4. Cover baking dish tightly and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, uncover baking dish and allow to come to room temperature while preheating the oven to 350°F. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is puffed and surface is golden brown. If bread is starting to brown too much before casserole is done, you may lay a sheet of foil over the top and continue baking until done.
5. While French toast is baking, make the lemon syrup. In a small pot, whisk together water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and corn starch until well blended. Set pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until syrup has thickened. Remove pot from the heat and stir in butter, heavy cream, and vanilla, until all ingredients are smooth and well blended. Set aside and allow to cool.
6. When French toast is done, remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving warm with lemon syrup drizzled on top.
Peach Mimosas
You Will Need:
3 cups peach juice
3 cups orange juice
1 bottle champagne
peach slices for garnish
Directions:
1. Combine chilled orange juice and peach juice with champagne.
2. Pour into glasses and garnish with a peach slice!
3. For another fun detail, tie coordinating ribbon onto bamboo skewers and use as a drink stirrer!
The fully equipped kitchens at The Lofts in Morgantown, West Virginia are ideal for cooking large meals. And the clubhouse at Hilltop Club in Bowling Green, Kentucky is the perfect place to host meals with family and friends.